


New Year

by Whedonista93



Series: Big Crime Theory [3]
Category: Crimes of Fashion (2004), The Big Bang Theory (TV)
Genre: Crack Treated Seriously, Crossover, F/M, Penny is Brooke, Small Fandom, mob boss Penny
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:06:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24585811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whedonista93/pseuds/Whedonista93
Summary: Brooke's old friends make assumptions that make Sheldon reevaluate their relationship paradigm.
Relationships: Sheldon Cooper/Brooke Sarto (Crimes of Fashion), Sheldon Cooper/Brooke Taylor (Crimes of Fashion), Sheldon Cooper/Penny
Series: Big Crime Theory [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1577500
Comments: 14
Kudos: 58





	New Year

Brooke pushes her sunglasses up on her nose, pulls her fedora down over her ears, and cinches her coat tighter around her waist. She could find a cafe or something to wait at, but she wants to see Sheldon the moment he walks out of his meeting. If this meeting goes well, Sheldon will get to start with the spring semester in a couple weeks, and as much as he claims to detest emotions, he always wears his on his face.

“Brooke?!”

Brooke spins toward the voice, smile blooming across her face. “Dee!”

Dee squeals and engulfs Brooke in a hug.

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m dating one of the professors,” Dee waves her hand dismissively. “What about you? You just freaking vanished on us!”

Brooke winces. “Yeah, sorry. Had a… well, a bit of a work problem.”

Dee raises an eyebrow. “Which kind of work?”

“Family work,” Brooke admits. “Please don’t ask.”

“Okay. So what are you doing _here_?”

Sheldon chooses that moment to descend the steps, his expression somewhere between smug, content, and genuine excitement.

Brooke smirks up at him. “I take it your meeting went well?”

Sheldon smiles, as close to a genuine one as he’s capable of. “They already have an office set aside for me.”

“You accepted the position, then?”

“It’s M.I.T.”

“So that’s a yes?”

“That’s a yes.”

Brooke squeals and throws her arms around him. “Congratulations!”

Sheldon stiffens, but tentatively wraps his arms around her shoulders without any actual protesting. “Thank you.”

Brooke takes mercy on him and releases him, but hooks her arm through his before he can pull fully away. “Sheldon, this is my friend Dee. We went to college together. Dee, this is my friend Sheldon.”

“Friend?” Dee smirks suggestively.

“ _Friend_ ,” Brooke emphasizes with a glare.

Sheldon leans down toward her ear. “Do I have to shake her hand?”

Brooke shakes her head. “No, sweetie.”

Sheldon untenses slightly. “Thank heavens.”

She makes plans to meet Dee for lunch later in the week before tugging Sheldon back toward the parking lot and her heated Audi. _Thank Prada for automatic start_.

“Brooke?”

“Yeah, sweetie?”

“Why did your old schoolmate question our friendship?”

Brooke grimaces and releases him so they can climb into the blessed warmth of the car. “She probably thought we were dating.”

“Why on earth would she make such a ludicrous presumption?”

Brooke reminds herself, yet again, of his lack of social understanding and tries to keep the hurt off her face. “Well, Moonpie, I was freezing my ass off waiting for you outside and I kinda threw myself at you as soon as you told me good news. Normal people take something like that as more than friendship most of the time.”

“I see.”

“Lunch?”

* * *

“Brooke?”

Brooke looks up at the familiar voice and freezes.

Jack smiles nervously. “I, uh, I didn’t realize you were back in town.”

Brooke forces a smile. “I haven’t been back long.”

“So, uh, what have you been up to?”

Brooke cocks her head. “Are you asking as my friend or as an agent?”

Jack winces. “I’m not in organized crime anymore.”

She raises an eyebrow.

“I, uh… I work in Cyber Crimes now. Actually just got promoted. I’m heading my own team.”

Brooke’s smile turns more genuine. “Good for you, Jack.”

Some of the nervousness bleeds from his face. “You’re doing alright?”

Brooke nods. “I’m good, Jack. Focusing on trying to get the dress shop back to producing new lines instead of recycling the old ones.”

“What, uh, where…”

Brooke rolls her eyes and takes mercy on him. “After everything with…” she trails off, letting the implication of the murder he’d investigated her for hang in the air. “I had to take a step back and decide if this was really the life I wanted. I made up a name and went to California to try and be an actress.”

“And now now you’re back.”

“And now I’m back. It wasn’t for me.”

Jack scuffs his feet and seems to hesitate. “Be smart, Brooke.”

Brooke snorts and dips her chin across the table, where Sheldon is taking his seat. “That’s what I have him for.” She smiles at Sheldon. “Hey, sweetie. How was your first day of lectures?”

Sheldon scrunches his face in disgust. “Plebeian. Who is he?”

Brooke shakes her head. “Sheldon, this is Jack. He’s an old friend. Jack, Dr. Sheldon Cooper.”

Sheldon narrows his eyes at the other man. “The Jack who went undercover and tried to-”

“Yes, Sheldon. That one.”

Jack flinches. “Uh, doctor, huh?”

Penny beams proudly. “He’s a physicist. Just got a job at M.I.T.”

Jack frowns. “And that’s… plebeian?”

Sheldon gives the other man the stink eye. “I do not enjoy lower academia.”

Jack just gives Brooke a confused look.

Brooke smiles at Sheldon fondly before glancing back up at Jack. “Sheldon is one of those beautiful mind people. He’s the smartest man I know, but he’s not a people person. Teaching an undergrad class is… not the best use of his skills.”

Sheldon scoffs. “That was a very diplomatic way of saying that it is beneath me.”

Brooke winks. “Such humility.”

Sheldon sticks his tongue out at her, then frowns. “Where is the waitress?” He looks up at Jack. “Is your… _friend_ joining us?”

Jack holds his hands up. “Oh, no. I uh, I’ve gotta get back to the office.”

“I already ordered for you, sweetie.”

Sheldon lets out an indignant, affronted sound.

Brooke rolls her eyes. “You always order the same thing.”

“But how do I kn-”

“Sheldon.”

“Right. I apologize. I trust you. Thank you.”

Brooke beams and reaches across the table to pat his hand. “Much better.”

Jack clears his throat. “Brooke?”

Brooke looks up without taking her hand from Sheldon’s.

“I really do have to go, but, uh… it was good to see you. And,” he glances at Sheldon, “I’m really glad you’re happy.”

Brooke nods. “Thanks, Jack. See you around.”

He offers an awkward wave and glances at her hand over Sheldon’s on the table before walking away.

Sheldon’s fingers twitch under hers. “Brooke?”

She turns her eyes to his.

“Did he assume that we are operating under a romantic paradigm?”

Brooke huffs out something like a laugh and nods, squeezing his hand one final time before drawing it back. “Yeah, probably.”

* * *

Sheldon stands in the open doorway of George’s home office for a long moment before he raps on the door frame. “George, may I speak with you?”

George looks up from his desk. “Sheldon! Come in!”

Sheldon shuffles awkwardly over to one of the chairs opposite the desk and sits rigidly.

“Can I help you with something?” George asks kindly when Sheldon doesn’t speak right away. He can’t help but like the kid. He wasn’t so sure at first, but… well, the awkward genius is good for Brooke.

“I... “ Sheldon swallows. “I am not adept at interpersonal interactions.”

George bites back a grin. “That your way of saying you’re not a people person?”

Sheldon offers a jerky nod. “In a manner.”

“I know that kid.”

Sheldon exhales shakily. “However, it has come to my attention that my interactions with Brooke are often perceived as… romantic in nature.”

George remains silent, lets the kid sort his thoughts.

“I find that I am not averse to the concept of that perception being a reality.”

George can’t help but smile then. “Are you saying you want to date my granddaughter?”

Sheldon offers another curt nod.

“Can I let you in on a secret, kid?”

“Yes.”

“You’ve _been_ dating her. Since you got here. Probably before that. Think about it.”

Sheldon’s jaw goes slack. “Oh.”

George leans back in his chair with a smirk.

Sheldon’s face switches to a look of determination. “It is traditional for a man to ask a woman’s father for his blessing to pursue her romantically. As the patriarch of your family, I came here with the intention of asking your blessing. In light of the revelation that I already am, however, I would amend that to request your blessing to _intentionally_ pursue her romantically.”


End file.
